Performances Saturday a 2 and 8 p.m. at the HHS auditorium
By: Michael Arges
"Mum’s the word" for the audience at Thursday night’s opening performance of the Hightstown High School fall production, "Murder at the Vicarage."
The silent treatment is also in effect for the cast and crew of the Agatha Christie mystery until after its final performances Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. in the school auditorium.
"The cast and crew have taken a vow of silence, because we want everybody to have to try and figure out the murder mystery," noted the director, Cathy Anzuini, a drama coach at Kreps School.
Senior Henry Coates, who plays a doctor in the Miss Marple mystery, would release a few details to tantalize his audience: "It’s a murder mystery set in Yorkshire, England in the late 1940s, early 1950s. It’s keeping you on your toes throughout the whole thing.
"You really don’t know who did it until the end."
Members of the cast were particularly impressed with the set design done by their fellow students.
"One of the girls, Vicki Taylor, stenciled the set to make it look like wallpaper," Ms. Anzuini noted. "It was a big project for her, but she decided it was something she wanted to do."
"We had a lot of kids who built the set – we had fake books that they painted. I truly believe that in educational theater they have to learn about all aspects of theater – not just being on stage."
The students say the play has been an enjoyable project because of everyone’s commitment to producing a quality production.
"I love to act, and I’m doing what I love, so I’m putting my whole soul into it," Henry said. "And I think everybody on that stage is doing the same thing also."